No particular reason, just interested it used to be a fair few staffies then there were quite a few husky types but lately it seems to be mainly lurchers. I just wondered if this was regional, or a general trend. I live in Dorset. My local rescue has nine dogs advertised at present and 4 lurchers, 2 greyhouds and a whippet cross. This has been going on for several months, it generally seems to be more than half lurchers lately, they are getting homes thankfully, but more seem to appear.

We get a mix. Used to be a lot of Staffies, we still get some, but the last year or so the fall out from the so-called designer cross breed is impacting, so we see more Poodle crosses and pug crosses than we used to.

I started at The Mayhew (initially as a volunteer) in 1999, and we mostly got old fashioned cross breeds, now they are fairly non-existent in London.

We also used to get way more GSD's, Collies, Sight-hounds and Rottweilers, now not that often.

I expect it depends where your local rescue is getting the dogs?Depends if they are taking unclaimed strays or hand-ins?Perhaps they have discovered that the lurchers do get rehomed quickly in your area so are happy to say yes when people phone up wanting to hand-in a dog.

I do find it interesting how local small independant rescues have different breeds that are prevelant - different preferences of the staff I suppose. Every rescue has to say no to alot more dogs than they can take in, and each rescue must have types or breeds it feels more comfortable with or thinks will be more likely to rehome I suppose? (I am talking about general rescues, not breed-specific rescues.)

One of our local rescues - HWAR - which takes all unclaimed dogs from the local pound - still seems to be getting an all round mix of staffies/bull breeds, lurchers, terriers, husky types, collies and many others. No more bull breeds than any other breed - but they are the ones that sadly seem to stick for longer. We are in a rather rural area - I've always wondered if that makes any difference to what ends up at the local pound?

Another local rescue - Dog Samaritans - always has a large proportion of ex-farm collies.

Birch Hill always has a large proportion of staffies - they specifically take "death row" dogs from around the UK, as well as local hand-ins.

Can't say I've noticed many designer cross-breeds in rescue locally; but I expect if people decide they don't want their designer dog anymore they sell them because they know they can get money for them, rather than dump them on the streets/in a rescue centre. Maybe its different in other parts of the country?

Edited to say : you can all now see I spend far too much time looking at local dogs needing homes! I really ought to stop .....as hubby says NO MORE DOGS....but I can't seem to help it

This post has been edited by Craters_on_the_lawn: 24th Jun 2017, 9:15 pm

I've just had a look at our local rescue Brysons. They have a real mix of dogs in - collies, a lovely looking if overweight pair of labs, a young bichon (fortunately reserved - phew), several varieties of terrier along with greyhound/lurcher types and of course the staffies. Several of them (including the bichon) have obviously become difficult due to lack of rules. Poor dogs.Pam

Over recent years they have mostly been inundated with Staffys and bull breed crosses with labradors, greyhounds/lurchers and good old mongrels making up most of the rest. They do occasionally get in spaniels and collies and other breeds, too, but small breeds or designers cross breeds are fairly rare in rescue around here as mostly they get put on the local selling groups and sell the same day (for far more than the rescue would charge, normally).

you can all now see I spend far too much time looking at local dogs needing homes! I really ought to stop .....as hubby says NO MORE DOGS....but I can't seem to help it

Same situation as you. We have 3 and it would not be fair on Coco (17) to take in any more at present. However, it's called "research" and "keeping your finger on the pulse" - just in case someone you hear of is looking.

Ha ha ha! I keep doing that on Not commercial businesses please! My Arnie is over 15 and suffering from lymphoma so not got long so I decided not fair to introduce another dog but I can't stop looking!! Coral is 10 so I think she would take to a new friend, she's very young at heart and still plays a lot. Up here it seems to be staffies, staffy crosses, huskies and terriers.